Kilograms of kit to survive the Antarctic cold

Outdoorsy types have a saying – “there's no bad weather, just bad clothing”.

This seems to be the philosophy of the Australian Antarctic Division's kitting unit – and why we left their warehouse in Kingston, Tasmania on Monday with so much gear (three large bagfuls) that we could barely carry it back to our hotel.

The warehouse holds about 16,000 pieces of kit (multiples of 85 individual items) for the 500-plus expeditionists that journey south each season. It stocks everything from thermal underwear to polar sunglasses, each item selected for the harsh and variable Antarctic conditions. Thankfully, the kitting logistics officer Cathy Hawkins was there to guide us – layer by layer – through our daunting pile of equipment.

Clothing for places like Antarctica works on a layering principle. We start with close-fitted woollen thermals (Australian merino wool, typically), followed by a mid-layer of polar fleece. There's also an option for an outer layer of polar fleece for especially cold days. These clothes are designed to keep us warm. They're useless if wet and provide almost no protection from the wind.

Over the warm layers, we wear an outer shell that's both windproof and waterproof - in a fetching fluoro yellow.

Advertisement

All this gear – including a pair of ice boots and survival gloves – will be carried onto the plane as "survival kit" on Wednesday morning in the off-chance we get stuck at the airstrip, which is four hours' drive from Casey station – or worse, if there is an emergency and we have to abandon the plane. It'll also be useful when we step off the plane in minus 5 degrees.

As Colin and I will be travelling inland for an ice core drilling project, we require clothes that can protect us from temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees. So we were also issued thick duck- or goose-down pants and jacket. Yes, they're as flattering as they sound – think Michelin man.